OK, maybe it's just me:

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

But why is it that sleeping with a woman he's not married to is all it takes to get a CIA director out of office? I mean it seems a rather underwhelming offense given how many people who retain their positions in office *coughDavidVittercough* happen to have done much worse things and retain their position and shamelessly keep doing the same kind of foolishness they got in trouble for beforehand. In today's America where the self-appointed defenders of traditional marriage cheat on their cancer-stricken wives to establish the bases for their third marriages and where sexual mores have changed for the better, how is this is at all a cause to dismiss anyone or for anyone to resign?

Sure, it might be bad 'if they talk' but then again, people like J. Edgar Hoover got away with much more than this. I really don't know what to make of Petraeus's resignation, so I'm basically asking you guys:

If someone in that position is boinking someone who's not his wife, should that alone be enough to lead to his resignation? (I admit to gendered bias in the question here but there aren't too many female politicians involved in sex scandals yet so that can be excused). I don't think it should be and I find the whole reaction to have more to do with puritanical pseudo-moralism than anything inherent in the offense. What do you think?

Comments

[musicpsych.livejournal.com]

Do you think he wanted out? I had the feeling that he accepted the position out of duty to country, but that he may not be a big fan of Obama.

[mikeyxw.livejournal.com]

Yep, he had to resign. In the military and the CIA, having an affair is a no-no. If you're a senior officer, you'll pretty much have received your last promotion, if you're in the CIA, you get fired. It's a cultural thing, also the CIA believes that having an affair puts a person at risk of blackmail. It may not be the most sensible thing, but it definitely would have caused problems for the folks in the CIA who are held to this standard if the director was held to a different one, even if the standard folks outside the organization agree with.

He could run for congress. Having an affair seems to be a requirement for that. This one didn't involve an intern, drugging, or a men's bathroom, but I still think it will count.

[rimpala.livejournal.com]

I heard it might have something more to do with a possible security breach then the actual affair. I don't know the whole story of course.

Or maybe possibility of blackmail like mikey has stated. This is the CIA we're talking about here.

[politikitty.livejournal.com]

A sweep of the Ms Broadwell's computer uncovered classified documents that she appears to have gotten through her relationship with Petraeus. (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324073504578113460852395852.html)

[404.livejournal.com]

Being incompetent usually isn't a fireable offense for government workers, but the culture of he CIA is for officials to resign if thy are caught in affairs.

[notmrgarrison.livejournal.com]

It makes them open to blackmail.

[jonathankorman.livejournal.com]

Whoa.

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

Things That Shouldn't Be An Issue But Are #8572

[stewstewstewdio.livejournal.com]

The text that you have in the link is misleading and inaccurate.

Ms. Broadwell was an officer in the Army reserves and as a result, had a high security clearance herself. The article that you link to states that the classified documents found on Broadwell's computer did not originate from Mr. Patreaus. There also was no evidence of a security breach found and, as such, no charges were sought.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

Because it's how they are trying to prevent him from testifying about Benghazi. It may not work in the long run, but then again, it might.

http://news.yahoo.com/petraeus-may-called-u-inquiry-benghazi-feinstein-040127558.html

Petraeus had been scheduled to testify about the Benghazi case on Thursday in a closed session of the committee; Mike Morrell, the acting CIA director, is now expected to do so.

But on a more pertinent note, in the intelligence community, having an affair is always a security risk, and you can't have a security risk at the head of the CIA.

[stewstewstewdio.livejournal.com]

Because it's how they are trying to prevent him from testifying about Benghazi.

From the same article you linked to:

"The California Democrat said there was no connection between Petraeus' resignation and the September 11, 2012, killings in Benghazi."

Maybe it's time for this unfounded conspiracy theory to die.

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

I love how every right-wing conspiracy or blatantly false talking point ends up here in one way or another. It's like I'm subscribed to freerepublic.

[notmrgarrison.livejournal.com]

"The California Democrat said".

Well there's an unbiased refutation from a politician, a profession known for honor and veracity..

[chron-job.livejournal.com]

Puh-Leeeeeze.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

If he wanted out, he wouldn't have wanted to go out this way. Whether or not he's a fan of the POTUS is irrelevant, most generals don't have the least patience with politicians. No matter which country they're from, or which party the politicians in question are members of.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Hmm......that does make some sense. OTOH, in the military that prohibition doesn't seem to hold as well as it seems for the officers in high places.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Fair point, but unless it were proved blackmail is a bit too much in the vein of conspiracy theorist lines of thinking.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Does having an affair make one incompetent? If so, it would seem to argue that Rudy Giuliani and Newt Gingrich were not only incompetent but the temporal manifestations of the Peter and the Dilbert Principle.

[404.livejournal.com]

Being incompetent should be a fireable offense, it generally is outside the the government; inside the government, those who can't do their job are usually promoted. Being in an affair makes you vulnerable to bribery and extortion, those usually aren't good things to be under when you are head of the chief spy agency for a country.

[notmrgarrison.livejournal.com]

The refutation is more lame than the theory.

[stewstewstewdio.livejournal.com]

The refutation is more lame than the theory.

To be expected from someone who seems to be trying to propogate the conspiracy theory. Diane Feinstein is the one calling for the investigation in the first place.

[cheezyfish.livejournal.com]

This is a political forum after all...

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Just because something should be seldom means it is.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

I'm still missing why Benghazi is worth raking people over the fire and Beirut and the 1998 incidents were not.

[dwer.livejournal.com]

you're right. Your last sentence is more pertinent, because your first is so unpertinent, it's as pertinent as something that's not pertinent at all.